BLOG: Fr. Raphael Ma, CR
It’s still over two years away, but already there’s a buzz about World Youth Day in Madrid. More accurately, there’s a ringing… as in a cell phone ringing. Last week Zenit News released an interview with Santiago De La Cierva, Director of Communications for WYD Madrid 2011, who is also the founder of the Rome-based ...read more
As a young Catholic student in university I went through the usual struggles with my faith. I was helped, to a large degree, by a kind priest-chaplain who recommended a book which has remained a personal favorite. Thomas Merton’s brilliantly written (the book should be mandatory reading for writers as well as the spiritually hungry) ...read more
This past Wednesday, June 3rd, was a special day for the Diocese of London. That night, the diocese held its first annual Bishop’s Dinner, with over 1200 guests and a lively performance from Natalie MacMaster and the Leahys. But leading up to that day were events with young people attended by London Bishop Ronald Fabbro ...read more
For the last five months, we’ve been taking the best of S+L on to the airwaves, through our new program S+L Radio, on the The Catholic Channel, which is available through Sirius Satellite Radio, channel 159 and XM Radio 117. All the programs are also available for streaming and downloading off our webpage: www.saltandlighttv.org/radio, and ...read more
What sort of teenagers get involved in gangs? And what does a gang-plagued community look like? Before I began researching the issue for the S+L documentary Changing Course, my mind would conjure the usual stereotype of disaffected thugs congregating near austere social housing complexes. The most troubling aspect of this popular image of street life, ...read more
As June rolls around this year, I am reminded of the International Eucharistic Congress held in Quebec City last year. It was an intense week of catechesis and witness talks, beautiful Masses, a powerful Ordination Mass (which will be broadcast Saturday, June 27 at 7.30 pm ET) and a very wet and chaotic closing Mass! ...read more
I often ask people if they could name one great theme that runs throughout the Bible, what would they say? Many give the answers you would expect: love, mercy, trust or something of the sort. However, one of my students very quickly responded, “waiting” – with a bit of frustration, I might add. An entire ...read more
Pentecost had an added Marian flavour this year, as the great solemnity fell on May 31st — the last day of the month dedicated to Mary, and also the feast of the Visitation. Pope Benedict XVI tied the Vistiation into his Regina Caeli address in St. Peter’s Square: The young Mary who, carrying Jesus in ...read more
If I weren’t the Director of Marketing and Development at Salt + Light Television, I might be designing shoes. I know I dream about them a lot, and seem to have accumulated my fair share of pairs. And, I have managed to effectively pass along the shoe aficionado gene to my daughters and now granddaughters. ...read more
Four weeks ago I introduced you to Jerry Grzadka, organizer of the nine-week walking pilgrimage from Midland, Ontario to Quebec City featured in 64 Days with the Ark. One of Jerry’s most difficult tasks was finding people who were willing and able to complete the arduous trek. Though dozens signed up to carry the Ark ...read more